By Wilson, Burnam, et al.
H.B. No. 2061
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2061:
By Geren
C.S.H.B. No. 2061
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to establishing a historical representation advisory committee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION1. Chapter 443, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 443.0081 to read as follows:
Sec.443.0081.HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) To ensure that the diverse history of Texas is accurately represented in the Capitol Complex and on other land owned by the state, the historical representation advisory committee shall provide guidance to the board, the Texas Historical Commission, and the General Services Commission on the addition of monuments to the Capitol Complex and other land owned by the state.
(b)The advisory committee consists of the following 12 members:
(1)four members appointed by the governor;
(2)four members appointed by the lieutenant governor; and
(3)four members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(c)In making appointments under this section, the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall attempt to include African American Texans, Hispanic American Texans, Native American Texans, female Texans, and Texans exemplifying rural heritage.
(d)The governor shall designate the presiding officer of the committee from among the members of the committee. The presiding officer serves a term of two years. The presiding officer shall serve as the liaison between the committee and the General Services Commission.
(e)A member of the advisory committee serves at the pleasure of the appointing officer and serves without compensation or reimbursement of expenses.
(f)The advisory committee shall conduct meetings the committee considers necessary to provide guidance under this section. The board shall provide necessary administrative support to the advisory committee.
(g)The advisory committee shall develop its own bylaws under which it shall operate.
(h)Chapter 2110 does not apply to the advisory committee.
(i)The advisory committee is subject to the open meetings law, Chapter 551.
(j)The advisory committee is subject to Chapter 325 (Texas Sunset Act). Unless continued in existence as provided by that chapter, the advisory committee is abolished September 1, 2013.
(k)The advisory committee shall:
(1)collect information relating to each monument in the Capitol Complex and on other land owned by the state; and
(2)in cooperation with the chair of the history department at Prairie View A&M University, at The University of Texas at Austin, or at any other land grant university in the state, as determined by the committee, develop a plan that ensures the:
(A)historical accuracy of any proposed monument;
(B)equitable representation of the military service of all Texans; and
(C)equitable representation of African slaves, African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, women in Texas history, and Texans exemplifying rural heritage in monuments in the Capitol Complex and on other land owned by the state.
(l)In this section, "monument" has the meaning assigned by Section 443.015, as added by Chapter 1141, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997.
SECTION2. Not later than January 1, 2002, the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall make appointments to the historical representation advisory committee under Section 443.0081, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of twothirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001.